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GOBI MANCHURIAN RECIPE

     Gobi Manchurian/Cauliflower Manchurian is a recipe adapted from Chinese Cuisine but prepared more or less to suit an Indian Palate and taste buds. Addition of Sauces and seasonings gives this dish a new dimension. Cauliflower florets are first dipped in a batter with mild seasoning and then deep fried to perfection. Then these deep fried Cauliflower florets are sauteed with Onions, Garlic, Bell Peppers and served in a thick and saucy base. There are two versions of the same dish. One is a dry version and another with a thick gravy.
     This dish has invaded almost all restaurants in the name of Chinese food in India. Almost all Indo-Chinese recipes are believed to have originated from India. Despite its popularity around India and being an epitome of Chinese food, the dish is virtually unknown in China.
     Maybe it is a version more or less similar to or adapted from General Tso's Chicken/Kung Pao Chicken/Sweet & Sour Chicken. Mostly prepared with Chicken and for a vegetarian twist comes Cauliflower/Mushrooms/Paneer for rescue. A country with quite a number of Vegetarian foodies came along the demand for such recipes with a twist. Even we can see some South Indian restaurants serving Chilli Idli, Idli Manchurians, Chilli Parotta and Parotta Manchurian - Oh! we eat enough of them 'in the name of Chinese Cooking'.
     While pondering through Google, searching for the origin of the dish, I found few noteworthy and all the more hilarious post-Apna Bharatiya Chinese Dish - ABCD, by Rashmi Bansal about Chinese food served in Udipi Hotels as 'Udipi Chainis'. Vir Sanghvi found a new phrase to this Indo Chinese cooking as Sino Ludhianvi to describe his Punjabi-Chinese fusion food while writing in his Rude Food Column.

Cuisine : Indo-Chinese
Course : Side Dish
Spice Level : Low- Medium
Difficulty : Medium
Serves : 3-4
Author : SM

Preparation Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
Cooking Time - 10 -15 Minutes

INGREDIENTS :

For the Marinade :

Cauliflower - 1 Medium
All Purpose Flour - 1/2 Cup
Corn Flour - 1 Tbspn
White Pepper - 1/2 Tspn

Light Soy-Sauce - 1 Tspn

Salt - to Taste

For Manchurian :

Onion - 1 No.

Dried Red Chillies - 2 Nos.
Green Chilies - 2 No.
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 3 Tbspn

Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum - 1/2 No.
Spring Onions - Few

Light Soy-Sauce -2 Tbspn
Tomato Ketchup - 2 Tbspn

Red Chilli Sauce - 1 Tbspn
Oil - For Deep Frying

METHOD :

Cut the Cauliflower into big florets.
Make a smooth paste with All-purpose Flour, Corn Flour, White Pepper Powder, Light Soy-Sauce & Salt (It should be without lumps and in dripping consistency).
Marinate the Cauliflower florets in the batter for 10 Minutes.
Grind Ginger and Garlic into a fine paste & keep it aside.
Heat oil in a Pan.
Once the oil is hot reduce the flame to medium and deep fry the batter coated Cauliflower florets until they turn into golden brown colour.
Fry in small batches, otherwise they may stick to each other.
Line up the fried Cauliflower florets on a Paper Towel.
Heat few teaspoons of Oil in a Pan, saute Onions, Dried Red Chillies and finely chopped Green Chillies until they turn translucent.
Add Ginger-Garlic paste and fry until it turns fragrant.
Lower the flame and pour in the sauces and give a quick stir.
Increase the flame to high, add fried Cauliflower florets, chopped Bell Peppers along with a dash of Salt and Sugar.
Gently mix until the sauces coat every floret.
Garnish it with finely chopped Spring Onions.
Serve Gobi Manchurian hot.

NOTES :

Instead of marinating the florets in the batter for 10 minutes, can directly dip them in batter and fry them immediately too.
Adjust the number of Dry Red Chillies and Green Chillies to suit your spice level.
Can add a pinch of MSG(Aji-no-moto) if preferred.

For Gobi Manchurian Gravy :

Follow the instruction as above until the florets are well coated with the sauces.
Meanwhile, mix 1 Tbspn of Cornflour in Ice-cold water without lumps.
Pour the Cornflour mix over the Florets and stir continuously in quick movements until the mixture boils and the gravy turns thick and shiny.
Care should be taken not to break the florets.
Sprinkle Spring Onions once the gravy is ready.
Serve Hot.

GOBI/CAULIFLOWER 65

     Gobi/Cauliflower 65 is a simple deep fried recipe prepared with marinated Cauliflower florets. There are many variations of the same recipe, but this is the most sought-after 'Starter' in fast food joints and restaurants. Though they look red and fiery, they are not as spicy as they look. This recipe is quite similar to the most popular Chicken 65. It serves as an entrée(starter) or even as a quick snack. Marinated Cauliflower florets are deep fried until they turn crispy and is usually served with Sliced Onions and Lemon wedges. Other Vegetarian variants like "Paneer 65" & "Mushroom 65" are also prevalent. Though Chicken 65 is the most sought-after recipe, the above versions are typically prepared to succumb the vegetarian palate. Kerala has its own style of Beef 65 too, made with pre-cooked Beef pieces.
     Gobi/Cauliflower 65 is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. Every South Indian state has its own variation of this recipe. In Coimbatore, this type of recipes are commonly called as 'Chilli Gobi', it is literally Gobi/Cauliflower65 rather different from its original recipe which is more or less Schezwan like.
     The flavour of the dish can be attributed to Red Chilly Powder but the rest of the ingredients for the recipe can vary. Some flavour it with Garam Masala, add fried Curry Leaves etc., to add an extra note to this dish.

Cuisine - South India
Course - Appetizer / Starter
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Marination Time - 30 Minutes - 1Hour
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK GOBI/CAULIFLOWER 65

INGREDIENTS :

To Clean & Soak :

Cauliflower - 1 Big Flower
Warm Water - 2 Cup
Turmeric Powder - a Pinch
Salt - To Taste

To Marinate :

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tbspn
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Garam Masala - 1 Tspn
Red Food Colour - (Optional)
Corn flour- 3-4 Tbspn
Monosodium Glutamate(Aji-no-moto) - a Pinch (Optional)
Egg- 1
Salt - To Taste
Black Salt - 1/4 Tspn
Lemon Juice - 2-3 Tspns

To Fry :

Oil

To Garnish :

Onion Slices
Lemon wedges

METHOD:

Clean and cut the cauliflower into florets
Wash the Cauliflower florets and soak the florets in warm water with a pinch of Turmeric & a dash of Salt in it for few minutes.
Allow it to dry in a colander.
Mix all the ingredients mentioned under 'To Marinate'.
Add the Cauliflower Florets to the Marinade and mix well.
Leave the marinated Cauliflower Florets for at least 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Heat cooking oil and deep fry the marinated Cauliflower Florets in small batches until they are well cooked and the sizzling stops on a medium-high flame.
Remove the fried Gobi/Cauliflower 65 and allow it to drain on a paper towel.
Serve Gobi/Cauliflower 65 hot as a starter or as any side dish for your preferred dish.

NOTES :

Drain the Cauliflower Florets well, before marinating them.
Instead of marinating the florets in the batter for 10 minutes, can directly dip them in batter and fry them immediately too.
Adding MSG(Aji-no-moto) and Red food colour to the marinade is totally optional.
Adjust the amount of spiciness to suit your taste preference.
Kashmiri Chilli Powder is less spicy and gives a fiery red colour to the dish, even without adding any food colouring.
I have not used any food colouring in this recipe.
For a total Vegetarian Version avoid adding Egg in the marinade.
Can convert the same recipe into Gobi/Cauliflower Manchurian.
Once the Cauliflower florets are deep-fried, add the sauces & Seasonings, toss them up on a high flame for Gobi/Cauliflower Manchurian Recipe.

GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS

   Ghee Rice is a simple variation of Biriyani. Ghee Rice or Nei Choru as its called is a mildly flavoured rice, infused with Spices, Nuts and Dry Fruits fried in Ghee. This dish is very famous in Malabar Area in Kerala. The influence of this dish is quite Arabian. But this variant is indigenous to Malabar Cuisine. It is mostly served with Vegetarian or Non-vegetarian Curries. Spicy curries compliments well with this dish. Even Sri Lankan Cuisine platters Ghee Rice or best known as Dun Thel Bath.
     This recipe of Ghee Rice is a simple combination of Nei Choru and Green Peas Pulao. Fresh Green Peas add a special note to this Ghee Rice. This is one of my favourite dishes and I frequent it quite often at home. Mostly when I cook Mutton Kola Urundai Curry, this dish is a must for me. Also, it can be cooked within minutes - A one-pot meal. I love recipes which need little time for preparation. The best about this recipe is that it is a simple reminiscent of Biryani. I love a whiter looking Ghee Rice with Green Peas, so most of the time I do not add Raisins or Fried Onions.
     I usually cook Ghee Rice with Green Peas in a Rice Cooker. It can also be cooked in Pressure cooker. Allow it to cook for a whistle in high flame and then lower the flame and cook for 10-12 minutes. The Rice Water Ratio - 1: 11/2 Cups suits well for both the methods. But cooking in a Sauce Pan is more flexible.

Cuisine - Malabar (Kerala), Sri Lanka
Course - Main
Spice Level - Low
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Soaking Time - 15 - 20 Minutes.
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK GHEE RICE WITH GREEN PEAS

INGREDIENTS :

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Green Peas - 1/2 Cup
Onions - 1 No.
Green Chillies - 5 Nos.
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbspn
Cashew Nuts - Few
Coconut Milk - 1 Cup
Water - 2 Cups
Ghee - 3 Tbspns + 1 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste
Coriander Leaves - Few
Mint Leaves - Few
Spices :
Cinnamon (1" Stick) - 2 Nos.
Cloves - 5-6 Nos.
Cardamoms - 3 -4 Nos.
Bay Leaves - 2 Leaves

METHOD :

Wash the Basmati rice until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Boil the water and keep it aside.
Heat Ghee in a pan, fry the Cashew nuts and keep them aside.
In the same pan fry, the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' for a while in a very low flame.
Add Onions and Green Chillies to the above and saute until onions turn translucent.
Add Ginger-Garlic paste and saute until they are aromatic.
Add Green Peas and stir well.
Drain the soaked rice and add it to the above.
Fry this for 5-7 minutes in a very low flame.
Pour in the coconut milk, water, salt and mix well.
Allow it to boil.
Cover the pan and cook the rice on a low flame until the water is totally absorbed and the rice is well cooked.
Allow it to cool for few minutes.
Add One tbspn of Ghee to the cooked rice and fluff it up.
Garnish it with Mint, Coriander Leaves and fried Cashew nuts.
Serve Ghee Rice with Green Peas hot with any kind of vegetarian or non-vegetarian curries.
Ghee Rice with Green Peas goes well with Mutton Kola Urundai Curry, Chicken Curry or Vegetable/Non Vegetarian Kurmas.
Curries like Butter Chicken, Mutton Rogan Josh, Lamb Korma complements well with Ghee Rice with Green Peas.
Ghee Rice with Green Peas can be served along with Dry side dishes like Tandoori Chicken or Chicken Tikka, Chicken 65, Gobi Manchurian.
Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu or simple Dhal Curries also goes well with Ghee Rice with Green Peas.

NOTES:

Can substitute half the amount of ghee with oil.
Can also add Raisins and fried onions, as garnish.
Adding Green Peas, Mint and Coriander Leaves are totally optional.
Adjust the number of green chillies to suit your spice preference.
Can use Basmati Rice / Jeeraka Samba(Kaima)* rice for this dish.

*Kaima/Jeerakasala rice is a short grain rice, commonly used in Malabar area (some parts of Kerala in South India) for making biriyani and ghee rice. This rice makes their Biriyanis unique.It is called as Jeeraka Samba Rice in Tamilnadu. You can use Basmati rice instead. If the rice is old enough then the perfect Rice Water Ratio would be 1:11/2. But some quality of rice requires only 13/4 Cups of Water for 1 Cup of Rice. Adjust accordingly.

TOMATO PULAO

     Tomato Pulao is one dish which comes into my mind, whenever I am in short of time or literally when I am lazy to cook. At such instances I end up with some kind of instant rice dishes. Then, if I am in a mood for something spicy and flavour filled, I always end up with this tasty, vibrant, simple Tomato Pulao. Fewer ingredients and very less time to cook is the highlight of this one pot meal. Prepare some Curd-Onion Raitha or Vegetable Salad or simply pair it up with hard-boiled eggs and there you are with a wonderful & wholesome Rice Dish.
      This Tomato Pulao recipe is quite similar to Biriyani, but a little milder and a bit tangier version.The recipe calls for more tomatoes than what we usually use for Biriyanis. This is spicy version as I use Green Chillies and Red Chilli Powder in this recipe.
     I usually cook this Tomato Pulao Recipe in Rice Cooker. It can also be prepared in a Pressure cooker. Allow it to cook for a whistle on a high flame, then lower the flame and cook for another 10-12 minutes. The Rice - Water Ratio 1: 11/2 Cups suits well for both the methods. But cooking this Tomato Puloa recipe in a Sauce Pan is more flexible.

Cuisine - Indian
Course - Main
Spice Level - Medium
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes
Soaking Time - 15 - 20 Minutes.
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

HOW TO COOK TOMATO PULAO

INGREDIENTS :

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups
Onions - 1 No.
Green Chillies - 3-4 Nos.
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 Tbspn
Tomatoes -3-4 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Water - 3 Cups
Ghee - 3 Tbspns + 1 Tbspn
Salt - To Taste
Coriander Leaves - Few
Mint Leaves - Few

Spices :

Cinnamon (1" Stick) - 2 Nos.
Cloves - 5-6 Nos.
Cardamoms - 3 -4 Nos.
Bay Leaves - 2 Leaves

METHOD :

Wash the Basmati rice until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice for 20 minutes.
Boil the water and keep it aside.
Heat Ghee in a pan, fry the ingredients mentioned under 'Spices' for a while in a very low flame.
Add Onions and Green Chillies to the above and saute until onions turn translucent.
Add Ginger-Garlic paste and saute until they are aromatic.
Add Turmeric Power and Red Chilli Power to the above and fry for a while on a low flame.
Add finely chopped Tomatoes and cook them until they are soft and oil separates from the mix.
Drain the soaked rice and add it to the above.
Fry this for 5-7 minutes on a very low flame.
Pour the Water and Salt and mix well.
Allow it to boil.
Cover the pan and cook the rice on a low flame until the water is totally absorbed and the rice is well cooked.
Allow it to cool for few minutes.
Add One tbspn of Ghee to the cooked rice and fluff them up.
Garnish it with Mint and Coriander Leaves.
Serve it along with Curd Raitha / Vegetable Salad.
Goes well with Mutton Kola Urundai Curry, Chicken Curry or Vegetable/Non Vegetarian Kurmas.
Curries like Butter Chicken, Mutton Rogan Josh, Lamb Korma complements well with Tomato Pulao..
Tomato Pulao can be served along with Dry side dishes like Tandoori Chicken or Chicken Tikka, Chicken 65, Gobi Manchurian.
Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu or simple Dhal Curries also goes well with Tomato Pulao.

NOTES:

Can substitute half the amount of ghee with oil.
Can also add some classic vegetables in Tomato Pulao Recipe.
If the tomatoes are tangy, adjust accordingly.
Adjust the number of green chillies and red chilli powder to your spice preference.
Can use Basmati Rice / Jeeraka Samba (Kaima)/ any long grain rice variety for this dish.